Chapter 323: Making Money, Is It Shabby? It's Not Shabby

An interesting phenomenon: Zhu Yijun's address for Zhang Juzheng was "Teacher," which had never changed. Whether Zhang Juzheng was the Grand Secretary, the Grand Tutor, or the Earl of Yicheng, Zhu Yijun addressed Zhang Juzheng this way in any situation. This address was very private.

In officialdom, one should address by position.

Zhu Yijun calling Zhang Juzheng this way made him seem somewhat like a political novice, unable to distinguish between public and private, but in fact, it was not so. Zhu Yijun addressed others by their positions. He addressed him this way entirely to support Zhang Juzheng's new policies.

This played a key role in the stability of the court. It meant that as long as this address didn't change, the Great Ming Emperor would always support the new policies of his teacher, Zhang Juzheng.

When Zhang Juzheng spoke to Zhu Yijun about the four words "consistent from beginning to end," he said that the morning orders and evening changes in the court would definitely lead to political chaos. If the people didn't know the law, the law wouldn't bind the people, and the court would lose control over the localities, because the localities would openly and blatantly derive legal codes that conformed to the interests of local officials.

The court's legal codes would have a lower priority in the localities than local legal codes. That would be the day the world lost the Dao.

Zhang Juzheng's example was very apt: Great Ming's attitude toward the Northern Barbarians. In the court during the Jiajing era, the repeated political infighting over whether to fight or negotiate led to the Xuanfu and Datong directions receiving instructions to prepare for an attack today, and instructions to prepare for negotiations tomorrow. The Xuanfu and Datong directions began to decide for themselves.

This was also the fundamental reason why the Jin Party dared to usurp the sovereign's power and why the feudal lords dared to conduct military campaigns on their own.

Power, because the legal system flows from top to bottom, and because worldly trends flow from bottom to top.

And the stability of the court also made everyone more calm and composed. Wang Qian was a typical case. The Emperor's attitude toward Wang Chonggu meant that as long as Wang Chonggu was still fulfilling his political promises, Zhu Yijun would not easily dispose of Wang Chonggu, so it was easier for Wang Qian to do things.

Shang Jiu finally chose to surrender under continuous bombardment, because Wang Qian really released the Japanese.

Shang Jiu's neighbors were two envoys from the Japanese state. These two envoys were dead drunk and didn't know what was going on, breaking into Shang Jiu's room. The cursing and fighting lasted for half a quarter of an hour before the Great Ming Embroidered Uniform Guards responsible for guarding separated the two sides.

Mori Motokiyo and Maeda Toshinaga beat Shang Jiu up. Two drunks and a King of Ryukyu who was almost scared out of his mind—the process of the fight was very dull, but it made Shang Jiu have a trace of doubt about returning to Ryukyu.

Was returning to Ryukyu really the right thing?

The Great Ming navy's attacks in Ryukyu were very smooth, but their attacks on Shimazu Yoshihisa were repeatedly frustrated. This meant that Ryukyu could be a battlefield for the next few years.

On the 15th day of the ninth month of the sixth year of Wanli, the Ministry of Rites reported that Shang Jiu requested to stay in Great Ming for a long time. Zhu Yijun issued an imperial decree to receive the vassal envoys on the 20th of the ninth month.

On the 20th of the ninth month, the sky was high and the air was crisp, and amidst the sound of drums and horns, the palace gates of the Great Ming Imperial Palace slowly opened. The envoys prepared to enter the palace to meet the Emperor. These envoys came from Joseon, the Japanese state, Ryukyu, Borneo, Malacca, and the special envoy from the West, Li Yashi.

There was also a very special envoy, from the Mughal Empire.

Joseon's envoys entered the capital three times a year, mostly to pay respects and maintain friendly relations with the Great Ming Emperor, which was convenient for selling their ginseng and "Goryeo beauties." "Goryeo beauties" was a very mature industrial chain that had been formed since the late Sui and early Tang dynasties.

Zhu Yijun didn't see them every time; he just bundled them together to meet him.

According to the arrangements of the Ministry of Rites, the first envoy the Great Ming Emperor saw was the envoy from the Mughal Empire. In terms of territory, population, and other dimensions, the Mughal Empire was a country worthy of attention.

Minister of Personnel Wan Shihe liked to say: "Barbarians have human faces but beastly hearts, fearing power but not cherishing virtue." However, he was very, very attentive to matters concerning barbarians.

Great Ming's new policies were intricate and complicated, but there was only one main thread: combining sea and land. Opening the seas was one leg of Great Ming's new policies. Dealing well with the relationship with overseas vassal states was a huge challenge faced by the Ministry of Rites under the system of "distinguishing between China and barbarians."

As for why the Minister of Personnel was always interfering in the affairs of the Ministry of Rites, and the Minister of Rites was interfering in the affairs of the Ministry of Personnel, the court officials had long since stopped being surprised.

"Respected Emperor of the Central Plains, I am an envoy from the Yarkand Khanate, named Shah Maimaiti. I am a merchant, very humble, but I was sent by the 'Guardian of Peace' Emperor and the Sultan of Yarkand to wish the great monarch to be as eternal as the sun and moon in the sky." Shah Maimaiti performed a kneeling ceremony.

"Guardian of Peace" was the elegant title of the Mughal Emperor Akbar at this time, which Zhu Yijun had already heard reported by the Ministry of Rites.

Shah Maimaiti had been in Great Ming for a year. His Han language was already very fluent. He was a merchant who came along the Silk Road, entered through the Jiayu Pass, and walked and stopped in Great Ming. It had been nearly a year since he reached the capital, and the process of meeting the Emperor had been circulating in the Ministry of Rites for seven months.

The Ministry of Rites had to solve a problem. Generally speaking, there was only one Emperor under heaven. However, the Mughal Empire was also an empire and also had an Emperor. Great Ming had already dealt with such a crisis once; there was an Emperor in the West, and even an Emperor in the Ottoman Empire.

Whether in the East or the West, the title of "Emperor" was very serious. There were a bunch of kings and dukes in various countries, but Emperors were still very rare. Rather than struggling with the other party's status as Emperor, it was better to struggle with the impact of the ritual law of "Under heaven, there is no place that is not the king's land" and "the sun never sets."

Soon, the Ministry of Rites discovered the second problem that gave them a headache: the naming of the country.

Because the Mughal Empire was established by Tatars—that is, the Northern Barbarians in Great Ming's terminology—more clearly, the Ministry of Rites discovered that this Mughal Empire was the "remnant of the Hu-Yuan"!

Since Lan Yu defeated the Northern Yuan court at Buyur Lake, Great Ming no longer had to face the legal problem of the "remnant of the Hu-Yuan." Now that the "remnant of the Hu-Yuan" had suddenly jumped out, the Ministry of Rites also went through repeated struggles. Finally, under Wan Shihe's decision, Shah Maimaiti was able to meet the Great Ming Emperor.

"Are you really a merchant, and not a noble? As far as I know, the surname Maimaiti is not that of an ordinary merchant." Zhu Yijun looked at Shah, who was wearing a large turban, and said somewhat playfully.

Was Shah really humble? In the vast Central Asian region west of the Western Regions and east of the West, the surname Maimaiti represented the "descendants of the Saint," which was about the same as the surname Borjigin in the Tatars—the Golden Family—and even had a layer of mysterious religious rendering.

"Yes, I am indeed a noble. Your Majesty's gaze has already surpassed the obstacles of time and space." Shah bowed again and said very sincerely. Great Ming looked down on barbarians extremely, which Shah had felt many times in this year. The supreme Emperor of Great Ming could actually know these small details, which meant that the young monarch in front of him was truly not easy to fool!

"You are an envoy from the Yarkand Khanate. Why do you represent the Mughal Empire?" Zhu Yijun asked puzzledly.

Shah asked very puzzledly, "Respected Your Majesty, the humble person from afar hopes to correct a mistake of Your Majesty. Stupid me truly cannot understand why the officials of the Central Plains deliberately translate it incorrectly. The name 'Mughal Empire' is wrong; it should be 'Mongol Empire.' I have communicated with your country's officials many times, but they just refuse to change it."

The "Mughal Empire," the last imperial country in India, was translated this way by Great Ming on purpose, because "Mongol" was "Mongolia," which was "Hu-Yuan," which was "Northern Barbarians," which was "Tatars."

The word "Mongol" originated from the Tang Dynasty, called "Mengwu Shiwei" in the Tang Dynasty, belonging to a branch of the Eastern Hu. And the Eastern Hu existed as early as the Han Dynasty. Sima Qian said, "East of the Xiongnu, hence called Eastern Hu."

The Ministry of Rites could not translate the Mughal Empire as the "Mongol Empire," otherwise, Great Ming, which was established by defeating the Hu-Yuan court, would have to defeat the "remnant of the Hu-Yuan" again?!

The "remnant of the Hu-Yuan" had already established such a huge empire, how could Great Ming remain indifferent!

Shah had only stayed in Great Ming for a year. He actually couldn't understand the stubbornness of Great Ming officials. Even if he corrected it repeatedly, the Great Ming Ministry of Rites still translated it wrong.

"It's nothing. The officials of the Ministry of Rites just don't want to look for trouble for themselves. My Great Ming has its own national conditions." Zhu Yijun glossed over this matter, using cultural differences as an excuse.

The Mughal Empire was the Mongol Empire; at least in name, it was like this.

Shah didn't struggle anymore and said very seriously, "Emperor Akbar wrote to the Khan of the Yarkand Khanate, saying: 'Sending a mission composed of knowledgeable people to Khitan is useful. We can learn useful things from Khitan, and at the same time report each other's situations. Who is the ruler of Khitan, how to govern the country, what the people of Khitan are doing, and what rare and fresh things they have there.'"

"The Khan of the Yarkand Khanate sent me as a merchant to come here, so I represent Emperor Akbar and the Khan of Yarkand."

Shah explained this problem in detail. The Mughal Empire in India had actually been trying every possible way to contact Great Ming, but the Mughal Empire had been delayed in establishing an official channel with Great Ming.

There was a geographical barrier here. After all, coming to Great Ming from India by land was truly too difficult. Shah walked along the Silk Road, and just this trip took nearly two years.

On the other hand, the Mughal Empire's navy could never get rid of an enemy, the "Red-Haired Barbarians," so the Mughal Empire was locked on land and could not come to Great Ming by water.

The only port controlled by the Mughal Empire, Gujarat Port, due to geographical reasons, had its trade direction toward Persia and the West, which led to the Mughal Empire sending envoys many times, but failing to come to Great Ming.

Shah was also a coincidence. If it weren't for the superb skills of the doctors in the People's Livelihood Medicine Bureau, Shah would have died in the Shaanxi Regional Military Commission, that is, the Gansu border, due to water and soil incompatibility.

It wasn't that there were no Mughal merchant ships arriving in Great Ming, but there was no official communication channel. Shah was a merchant and also a noble, so he was able to meet the Emperor.

Zhu Yijun sat up straight and said, "The envoy has come from afar. Why did Emperor Akbar go to such great lengths?"

"To buy ships, more precisely, to buy five-masted ocean-crossing ships." Shah said directly.

"Ah? Has the fame of the five-masted ocean-crossing ships already spread to the West?" Zhu Yijun was stunned. He never expected that Shah's long journey was actually to buy ships.

Shah shook his head repeatedly and said, "This is not Emperor Akbar's decree. Emperor Akbar actually doesn't know the power of Great Ming's five-masted ocean-crossing ships. I saw this kind of ship in Great Ming, so I wanted to buy it. Your Majesty is very clear. I am also a noble. Within certain limits, I have the power to decide."

"Recently in Surat, the ever-victorious Emperor Akbar lost to the Red-Haired Barbarians of the West. This is one of the few defeats in Emperor Akbar's life."

Zhu Yijun showed some smiles and said, "It seems the envoy hasn't read the newspapers much in Great Ming."

With business coming to the door, Zhu Yijun was naturally happy. Great Ming's shipyards, the craftsmen chiseling ship nails were almost hammering their hammers to pieces, but they couldn't keep up with the vigorous demand. Everyone who had seen the five-masted ocean-crossing ships said they were good, and everyone wanted them. Naturally, the price was also very beautiful: 200,000 taels of silver per ship, no cheating the young or old.

Zhu Yijun judged Shah's information source. Great Ming's very prosperous newspapers had strange and varied content. Shah could know so many things, mostly thanks to the newspapers.

"Just as Your Majesty expected, I often read newspapers to learn Han language, to avoid disturbing Your Majesty when meeting the Emperor. After all, in Great Ming, it is very rare for barbarians to have a human appearance." Shah answered the Emperor's words very easily, but he knew very clearly again that this sixteen-year-old Emperor who loved to kill was truly not easy to fool. In just a few words, he judged Shah's information source.

The fact that Zhu Yijun loved to kill was known to everyone from Great Ming to the West.

Zhu Yijun shook his head and said, "It's a pity. Great Ming's production capacity is limited. The West's Philip II came a little earlier than the envoy. It will be about three years later."

"Generous and great Emperor, I can wait." Shah bowed again and said, "Great Ming, under the leadership of the wise and great Emperor, the heroic Great Ming navy protects the people of Great Ming from the invasion of the Red-Haired Barbarians. The Red-Haired Barbarians are so submissive in Great Ming, but they are just as barbaric in places outside Great Ming's military power."

"They rushed into our ports, killing everyone they could see. The Red-Haired Barbarians occupied our territory, enslaving and bullying our subjects. I beg for Your Majesty's mercy. Even if it's three years later, I can wait. For our subjects, waiting means seeing the dawn of dawn, rather than forever sinking into darkness."

Shah's emotions were very agitated, and his voice grew louder and louder. He thought that the terrifying sea monster was only sold to Great Ming's friendly nations, but now it seemed this was a business, which gave Shah hope. The sea pirates of the West relied on their large ships and firearms to kill and set fires.

The Mughal monarch of this generation, Akbar, was a person with military talent, fighting everywhere and winning every time. But when facing the Westerners, Akbar could only choose to compromise, magnanimously forgiving the Westerners' offenses, tacitly allowing the Red-Haired Barbarians to occupy Surat Port, and tacitly allowing the Red-Haired Barbarians to enslave his subjects.

"The Red-Haired Barbarians even pay taxes in Great Ming!" Shah almost roared when he said this. These Western sea pirates actually paid taxes to the Great Ming court; it was simply unheard of.

From the perspective of Great Ming, the Red-Haired Barbarians were just legitimate businessmen, but in the eyes of the Mughal Empire, the Red-Haired Barbarians were simply sea pirates.

Zhu Yijun couldn't help but think of a sentence: "Wherever one can be unreasonable, one must be unreasonable. If one is reasonable, it is because one is forced to be."

It was very appropriate to use it on these Western sea pirates.

"Has the envoy considered cutting in line?" Zhu Yijun said full of smiles, "Since it's business, it can be discussed."

"Ah? Cutting in line?" Shah repeated blankly. He could understand this vocabulary, but what he couldn't understand was that these words actually came out of the mouth of the Great Ming Emperor.

Zhang Juzheng's mouth twitched a few times, and the officials all looked at Zhang Juzheng, remaining silent.

The Great Ming Emperor was frugal, even stingy. To gather wealth and promote profit, he really didn't care about the face of the Heavenly Dynasty at all. How could he say it directly and openly? Shouldn't he at least do it behind people's backs, with the lights off?

In the eyes of court officials, court officials, and Great Ming scholars, the Great Ming Emperor's almost pathological stinginess and gathering of wealth were all Zhang Juzheng's fault.

In the early years of Wanli, Zhang Juzheng repeatedly submitted memorials nagging about being frugal, repeatedly criticizing the Daoist master for burning incense and the former Emperor for being luxurious. Only then did the obedient little Emperor become like this.

Zhu Yijun looked at Shah and said with a smile, "If you consider it, contact Grand Minister Wan. Business is business. Making money, is it shabby? It's not shabby."

If they were willing to add money, Zhu Yijun would naturally prioritize the Mughal Empire for production. Philip II of the West wasn't happy? He could also add money. Whoever added more would be delivered first.

The Great Ming officials also felt that what the Emperor said was right. Making money really wasn't shabby!

The Great Ming court was really scared of poverty. Dragging out the construction funds for the imperial tomb for a year—if this got out, wouldn't it damage the face of the Heavenly Dynasty?

Shah stated again the intention of Emperor Akbar to trade with Great Ming and establish a dialogue channel, and immediately indicated that he could add money. If there was no silver, he could use cotton, he could use ports, and he could even use people to exchange. Great Ming's forceful collection of payments in the Southern Seas was also reported in the newspapers. Great Ming's plantations also needed slaves.

After friendly communication, Shah indicated that he could add 50,000 taels of silver to strive for the Great Ming Emperor's priority production. Zhu Yijun's young and handsome face smiled until wrinkles appeared, and he even let Commander Zhao Mengyou personally send Akbar back to the Four Barbarian Hall.

Zhu Yijun said happily, "Oh my, Maimaiti is indeed a wealthy household. Adding 50,000 taels at once, very good. The Ministry of Works knows, prioritize production for our Emperor Akbar, arrange it properly, and send him 5,000... no, 1,000 catties of gunpowder."

"I obey the decree. It can be delivered in October. It just so happens there is one for the special envoy from the West." Guo Chaobin stepped out, bowed, and accepted the order. It must be arranged with priority.

"Your Majesty, let us officials do the work of gathering wealth and promoting profit." Zhang Juzheng stood out with a complex expression.

Zhu Yijun shook his head repeatedly and said, "No, no, Teacher, this is wrong."

"Teacher taught me that all things in the world are complex, but in the end, they are all bustling for profit. As the master of the world, I naturally have to see through the relationships. And this is not just business. Selling military equipment contains strong political purposes. Great Ming needs to recover payments in the Southern Seas. With so many plantations, selling ships to the Mughal Kingdom can also block the Red-Haired Barbarians."

Zhang Juzheng was speechless! Today he ate two boomerangs, but could only remain speechless. They were all words he had said, and the Emperor used his own words to block him.

Wang Chonggu's cultivation was excellent. He tilted his head slightly, fearing that the smile on his face would be seen by Zhang Juzheng. Wang Chonggu could only say: Your Majesty, well done!

In this world, there were not many people who could make Zhang Juzheng eat a loss, and it could even be said there was only one—that was His Majesty!

Look at how the Emperor hit the boomerang. You, Zhang Juzheng, with all your abilities, are refuting your own words!

Wang Chonggu was truly afraid of Zhang Juzheng. Without the Emperor's support, Wang Chonggu was also afraid. Seeing Zhang Juzheng eat a loss, Wang Chonggu's cultivation was lost.

"Announce the envoy from the Japanese state, Li Yashi. Why does he come to join the fun every day?" Zhu Yijun shook his head. Every time he met foreign envoys, it seemed to be to prove his identity. Li Yashi had to come to join the fun, and he had nothing else to do, just to show his face before the Emperor and maintain the friendly relations between Spain and Great Ming.

"Paying respects to Your Majesty. Is Your Majesty's holy body peaceful?" Li Yashi performed the ceremony.

Zhu Yijun stretched out his hand and asked, "Exempt from etiquette. Do you have anything to do? If not, I have to see the next foreign envoy."

"Just came to pay respects. Seeing Your Majesty in the prime of life, I am at ease." Li Yashi really had nothing to do. Joining the fun was human nature. Imperial favor was something that had to appear before the Emperor often. Whether it was through memorials or meetings, His Majesty was busy with ten thousand things and easily forgot people.

Zhu Yijun pretended to remember and said, "By the way, the people from the Mughal Kingdom have arrived in Great Ming. Each ship added 50,000 silver, and they took away two five-masted ocean-crossing ships in advance. I didn't want to give them, but Special Envoy Shah gave too much."

"Ah?" Li Yashi was dumbfounded, but soon felt it was reasonable. He had met the Emperor many times and knew the Great Ming Emperor very well. This greedy monarch would not give up a profit of even a cent!

"You write a letter to Philip II later and inform him. He should be able to understand. Good food is not afraid of being late." Zhu Yijun said with a smile.

"Respected Great Ming Emperor, I will write a letter when I go back, but it will take about a year to send it back to the West." Li Yashi said somewhat annoyed. Business matters and adding money couldn't be said to be untrustworthy. This was business. Great Ming opened its doors to do business; how could it push silver away?

Zhu Yijun heard this, and the smile appeared again: "Thank you for the envoy's understanding. You also know that Great Ming has many people and a large stall, and everyone is opening their mouths to ask me for money. I am also in a difficult position. Let's just make do."

"Congratulations on becoming a father. I had a longevity lock made. Zhang, reward him."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great grace." Li Yashi bowed again to thank him. He and his wife had a son, and this son also received the Emperor's blessing. This was true imperial grace. This longevity lock could at least protect his son to live well in Great Ming.

Li Yashi took the longevity lock. As for the matter of adding money, Li Yashi could only inform Philip II by letter. The decision had to be made by Philip II himself. Li Yashi and the West had their own information channels, which were the churches. The missionaries would bring the letters back to the West.

Zhu Yijun signaled for Feng Bao to come forward and whispered a few words to Feng Bao. Feng Bao flicked his whisk, walked forward a few steps, and said loudly, "Announce the Japanese envoys Mori Motokiyo and Maeda Toshinaga, and the King of Ryukyu, Shang Jiu, to meet the Emperor."

Shang Jiu feared the Japanese. Zhu Yijun deliberately arranged for them to meet together, which was intentional. The four words "coercion and inducement" had to be used together. He had to let Shang Jiu know that the fact that he was still living such a luxurious life was Great Ming's grace, and he should make a wise choice.

Wan Shihe looked left and right and stood straighter. Was he poisonous? Even if he was poisonous, could he be more poisonous than His Majesty?

"We pay respects to Your Majesty. Long live, long live, long live Your Majesty." The three went up to the hall, performed the five bows and three kowtows, and performed the grand ceremony to meet the Emperor.

Shang Jiu was the King of Ryukyu bestowed by Great Ming, so calling himself a subject was reasonable. And Mori Motokiyo and Maeda Toshinaga held the tally of the Ashikaga Shogunate to pay tribute to Great Ming. The Ashikaga Shogunate was the King of Japan bestowed by Emperor Chengzu Wen, so calling himself a subject was also reasonable.

"Exempt from etiquette." Zhu Yijun looked at these three people and laughed. This Shang Jiu was really beaten until his nose was bruised and his face was swollen. His originally somewhat handsome face now looked somewhat ridiculous. Shang Jiu stood up and stayed as far away from these two Japanese as possible.

The forces represented by Mori Motokiyo and Maeda Toshinaga were different.

Maeda Toshinaga represented Oda Nobunaga coming to Great Ming to request a title, while Mori Motokiyo was on the surface supporting the Ashikaga Shogunate and opposing the title of Oda Nobunaga as the new Shogun and King of Japan.

"King of Ryukyu Shang Jiu, you have stayed in Great Ming for a long time. A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. Tomorrow, return to Ryukyu." Zhu Yijun looked at Shang Jiu and said with a smile.

As soon as Shang Jiu heard this, he was scared and shuddered. Tremblingly, he said, "Your Majesty, commoner does not dare to go back. These Japanese, even in the territory of Great Ming, can beat me up. If I go back, I fear I will be in constant fear. I beg Your Majesty for mercy and give me a place to stay. After Ryukyu is stable..."

"What after it's stable?" Zhu Yijun interrupted Shang Jiu's words, his tone becoming a bit colder. Looking at Shang Jiu was like looking at a dead person. After going through so much trouble, if he still wanted to go back, it would seem impolite.

Politeness is politeness, but did Shang Jiu take it seriously? Did he really intend to go back?

Shang Jiu only felt a chill rushing from his tailbone to his crown. He shuddered violently and immediately said, "After it's stable, commoner will still stay in Great Ming and bathe in the imperial grace."

"Ah, like this, that's fine!" Zhu Yijun's tone became gentle, as if bathed in a spring breeze. Turning his face faster than turning a book was the basic cultivation of a politician. Zhu Yijun had no military talent, but his political talent was extremely high.

"The Ministry of Rites knows, arrange everything properly." Zhu Yijun looked at Ma Ziqiang to arrange the affairs of Shang Jiu settling in Great Ming.

In the future, Shang Jiu would still be the King of Ryukyu, but the person would not be in Ryukyu. This was a "monarch offline system."

The Mughal Empire is the Mongol Empire. Mongolia is also called the Mongol State. Maimaiti = Muhammad. These four words are easy to detect, so they were changed to Maimaiti. Seeking monthly votes, Awooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 324 =====